GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – American Hockey League President and Chief Executive Officer Scott Howson announced on Wednesday that Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Brian Lashoff will serve as one of the two playing captains for the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Bell in collaboration with Manulife Bank, to be held Feb. 5-6 in Laval, Quebec. Syracuse Crunch forward Gabriel Dumont was also selected.

Captains for the AHL All-Star teams are selected by the league president each year in recognition of their outstanding leadership and service.

An Albany, N.Y., native, Lashoff is in his 14th season with Grand Rapids and third year as captain. The 32-year-old has tallied one assist and one goal in 25 games this season and has amassed 127 points (32-95—127) in 605 contests with the Griffins. With 605 games played, he ranks second all time on the Griffins, first among active AHL players who have spent their entire career with the same club, and is tied for third in league history among one-team players. Lashoff, a two-time Calder Cup champion with Grand Rapids (2013, 2017) and a gold medalist with Team USA at the 2010 U20 World Junior Championship, will be making his first trip to the AHL All-Star Classic.

Lashoff becomes the fifth Griffin to be chosen as a playing captain for an AHL All-Star Classic, joining Matthew Ford (2020, West), Jeff Hoggan (2016, West), Kip Miller (2007, PlanetUSA) and Travis Richards (2004, PlanetUSA).

Tickets for the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Bell in collaboration with Manulife Bank, which include admission to both the 2023 Rona AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Sunday, Feb. 5, and the 2023 Mise-o-jeu AHL All-Star Challenge on Monday, Feb. 6, start at only $39 and are available now by visiting rocketlaval.com.

The 2023 AHL All-Star Classic presented by Bell will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League: since 1995, more than 94 percent of All-Star Classic participants have gone on to compete in the National Hockey League, including Cam Atkinson, Drake Batherson, Patrice Bergeron, Jordan Binnington, Jack Campbell, John Carlson, Thatcher Demko, Denis Gurianov, Connor Hellebuyck, Tristan Jarry, Kaapo Kahkonen, Jordan Kyrou, Jonathan Marchessault, Jacob Markstrom, Brandon Montour, William Nylander, Kyle Palmieri, Mikko Rantanen, Dylan Strome, Linus Ullmark, Vitek Vanecek and Mats Zuccarello.

In operation since 1936, the American Hockey League serves as the top development league for the players, coaches, managers, executives, broadcasters and staff of all 32 National Hockey League teams. Nearly 90 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame spent time in the AHL in their careers.

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins